How to Register a Company in Florida from India (2026): LLC or Corporation, Costs, the May 1 Annual Report and the Indian Side
Florida company registration from India: who it suits, all-in cost, documents, the May 1 annual report and $400 late fee, public records, ODI and LRS.
Florida draws Indian founders for practical reasons. Miami and Orlando are hubs for trade with Latin America and the Caribbean, Florida property attracts Indian investors and NRIs, and the state has no personal income tax. Some Indian families also have relatives in Tampa, Jacksonville or South Florida who are part of the business.
An Indian resident can register a Florida LLC or corporation entirely from India. The question this guide helps you answer is whether your business needs Florida, or whether a cheaper and more private state does the same job.
Short answer: with UCB, a Florida LLC with EIN costs $299 all-in, including the state fee and first-year registered agent, and keeping it active costs $236 a year. Florida's one yearly filing is an annual report due between January 1 and May 1, with a $400 late fee if it is filed after May 1, and the report lists the company's managers publicly. Choose Florida if you will hold property in Florida, run a warehouse or office there, or trade through Florida's ports; for a service or online business run from India, a Wyoming LLC at $249 costs less and keeps your name off the record. A single-member LLC run from India usually owes no US income tax but files Form 5472 every year, and funding it is generally an ODI through your Indian bank.
Who should register in Florida from India
Florida suits:
- Property investors: a rental flat in Miami or a holiday home in Orlando is usually held by a Florida LLC. See US real estate through an LLC and ITIN for US property buyers and sellers.
- Importers and exporters using Miami, Port Everglades, Jacksonville or Tampa, especially for trade with Latin America.
- Businesses with a Florida office, staff or warehouse.
- Founders planning to move to Florida, with immigration advice from a lawyer.
Florida is usually not needed for freelancers, agencies, SaaS and online sellers run from India; see Wyoming LLC from India.
| Florida | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| LLC with EIN, all-in with UCB | $299 | $249 |
| Keeping it active each year | $236 | $121 |
| Yearly state filing | Annual report Jan 1 – May 1; $400 late fee | Annual report with $60 licence tax |
| Managers on the public record | Yes | Not on the formation filing |
| Best for | Florida property, trade, offices | Online and service businesses run from India |
What Florida expects every year
- Annual report between January 1 and May 1, with a state fee of $138.75 for an LLC. Filing after May 1 adds a $400 late fee, and a company that still has not filed by the third Friday of September is administratively dissolved.
- A registered agent in Florida, every year.
- Florida taxes: an ordinary LLC owned by an individual is not subject to Florida's corporate income tax, but a corporation, or an LLC taxed as one, is. Sales tax applies to businesses selling taxable goods in Florida; we refer sales tax to a specialist.
See the Florida LLC guide and state taxes for a foreign-owned LLC.
Costs, documents and timeline
| With UCB | |
|---|---|
| Florida LLC with EIN, all-in | $299 |
| Florida LLC with EIN and US bank account application | $398 |
| Florida corporation with EIN, all-in | $249 |
| Approval time | About 8 business days |
| Keeping it active plus the yearly federal return | $536 |
You need your passport, an Indian residential address, proof of address for the bank, two or three company names and a business description. No SSN, US address or visit is needed. Your PAN is needed by your Indian bank for the ODI remittance. See EIN for non-residents.
US tax and the Indian side
A single-member Florida LLC run from India, with no US office or staff, usually owes no US federal income tax, and files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year (penalty $25,000 if missed). Florida property changes this: rental income from US property is US-source income, and selling US property brings its own withholding rules, so a property LLC usually needs US tax returns and often an ITIN. See effectively connected income explained and Form 5472 explained.
On the Indian side, funding the LLC is generally an ODI through your bank (note that a resident individual's ODI must be in an operating business, which affects pure property-holding structures; ask your CA), within the $250,000 LRS limit, with 20% TCS on investment remittances above ₹10 lakh a year. Disclose the LLC and any US account in Schedule FA. See registering a US company from India.
Worked examples
These are illustrative examples, not client cases.
Example 1: the Orlando holiday home. An Indian family buying a rental home in Orlando forms a Florida LLC to hold it. Because rental income is US-source, they plan US tax returns from the first year, and their CA advises on the Indian route for the investment.
Example 2: the Miami trading company. A Mumbai exporter of spices sets up a Florida LLC with a Miami warehouse to supply US and Caribbean distributors.
Example 3: the freelancer who did not need Florida. A Hyderabad developer wants Florida because a cousin lives there. With no Florida business, a Wyoming LLC does the same job for less.
Common mistakes
- Filing the Florida annual report after May 1 and paying $400 extra.
- Expecting privacy: managers are listed publicly.
- Forming in another state for Florida property.
- Assuming a property LLC needs no US tax returns.
- Skipping ODI formalities.
How UCB helps
We form Florida LLCs and corporations for Indian founders remotely, all-in, file the annual report before May 1 every year, keep the registered agent and prepare the federal return, alongside your Indian CA. If Florida is not the right state for your business, we will tell you. See Florida company formation.
Planning a company in Florida from India? WhatsApp us at +91 8105 199 399 or email enquiries@ucbsolutions.com, and we will tell you whether Florida is the right state and what it will cost.
Let our experts handle it for you
Every business is different. Message us with your country, business type and goals, and we will recommend the right structure, state and package. We do the work; you focus on your business.
This article is general information for non-resident business owners and is not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change; contact us to confirm what applies to your situation.
